Kwaku Amoateng is quite the creative father.
In 2021, the Comox military firefighter wrote and illustrated a fictional children含羞草研究社檚 book (The Magic Umbrella 含羞草研究社� Bratasaurus and Tyrannosaurus) to honour his son, Jordan. The book features characters who represent a father含羞草研究社檚 relationship with his autistic son 含羞草研究社� similar to Kwaku and Jordan.
The book not only helped strengthen the bond between Kwaku and Jordan, but also helped Jordan with his confidence.
含羞草研究社淗e absolutely loved it,含羞草研究社� said Kwaku. 含羞草研究社淚 guess now he feels like he has an (alter ego), and he always uses references from the book. And it also brought attention to him in his school, so now kids are more curious about him. He feels more comfortable, and his (schoolmates) are also more understanding. He is very happy where he is now.含羞草研究社�
Amoateng is at it again. He has just published the second of The Magic Umbrella series - Change of Plans - taking his creative side to a whole new level.
This time, his audience has helped him with the art.
It started with Jordan, who drew a peacock and asked if that could go into the book. From there, Jordan含羞草研究社檚 friend, Nora, did the same, drawing a flower.
含羞草研究社淔rom there it just spread; every kid wanted to be a part of it,含羞草研究社� said Amoateng. 含羞草研究社淪o in this book, there are all kinds of characters just randomly placed on the pages, that are the creations of kids. Each picture has their name attached to it. Then they open the book and have to find their drawings.
含羞草研究社淚 just want every child to know that they can draw. Once Asher saw his dinosaur, he has been drawing every day since.含羞草研究社�
The submissions weren含羞草研究社檛 limited to Jordan and his friends. Some of the drawings used for this book come from complete strangers.
含羞草研究社淲henever I am out at a cafe or a library or something, kids see me drawing and they are very curious,含羞草研究社� said Amoateng. 含羞草研究社淚 always ancourage them and their parents to sit at the table, and explain if they can draw me a picture, I will colour it in, and put it in the book. It makes them very happy.
含羞草研究社淚 love seeing their reaction when they see their drawings come to life.含羞草研究社�
Amoateng does everything he can to keep the drawing as close to the original as possible.
含羞草研究社淚 try to stay true to the outline, the design. Then I just fill it in with colour.含羞草研究社�
Amoateng even made some exceptions, to accommodate the shy ones. A couple of his fans, Jax and Kiara, had no drawings to give him, 含羞草研究社渂ut had asked me to put them in as cartoon characters.含羞草研究社� Amoateng gladly obliged.
For those who did not supply Amoateng with art for this latest project, fear not. He already has his third book in the works, and is encouraging any children who want to see their art transformed to send him their drawings.
含羞草研究社淚 am planning on doing a type of 含羞草研究社�奥丑别谤别含羞草研究社檚 Waldo含羞草研究社� book, based on these kids含羞草研究社� drawings,含羞草研究社� said Amoateng. 含羞草研究社淪ort of like, 含羞草研究社榣ook in this forest and find these two drawings.含羞草研究社櫤卟菅芯可鐫
Amoateng welcomes submissions from any children who want to see their drawings come to life.
He can be reached through his Facebook page (), on Instagram (), or by email at grasshopper_emc@hotmail.com
terry.farrell@comoxvalleyrecord.com
Like us on and follow us on
